The most pertinent prior art known to applicant is an elongated trough (known in the trade as a "mud pan") with a bottom wall, parallel end walls and side walls diverging upwardly from the bottom wall. See also the prior art disclosed in the following patents:
______________________________________ Number Date Inventor Title ______________________________________ 1,348,516 Aug 3, 1920 Peck RESILIENT SUPPORT FOR PLASTERER'S HAWKS 2,535,726 Dec 26, 1950 Dalton PLASTERER'S HAWK 3,090,984 May 28, 1963 Dunnigan IMPLEMENT FOR OVERHEAD TOOL MANIPULATION 3,790,201 Feb 5, 1974 Morsilli HAWK 4,241,470 Dec 30, 1980 Herzig MORTAR TROUGH 4,753,471 June 28, 1988 Gringer HAWK HAVING MULTIPOSITION HANDLE 5,406,671 Apr 18, 1995 Green TROWEL ______________________________________